the lawe and therfore he sayeth After that he shall haue gyuen hys lyfe an hoste or sacrifice for synnes he shal se sede or posteritie of longe contynuaunce c. For the hebrue worde whiche Esaie dothe vse in this place betokenith sacrifice for syn whiche sacrifice iÌ„ the lawe dyd betoken that there was a certayne hoste or sacrifice to come whiche shulde make satisfaction for our synnes and shulde recoÌ„cile god to the ende that men shulde knowe that nat for our owne ryghtuousnes but for the merites of another that is to wete of Iesu Christe god is wyllyng to be reconciled to vs. Paule expoundeth the same hebrue worde to signifie or betoken synne in the viii chapitre to the Romaynes sayenge By synne he condempned synne that is to saye â—e punyshed synne by the hoste or sacrifice offred for synne The signification and strengthe of the worde may be more easely perceiued by the maners of the gentiles whiche we se to haue bene taken of the wordes of the fathers nat ryghtly vnderstaÌ„ded Latine men dyd cal piaculuÌ„ that hoste or sacrifice whiche was offred in greate calamities to pacifie the wrathe of god when god semed to be excedingly angry and sometime they made sacrifice with maÌ„nes bloude because peraduenture they had herâ—e that the sacrifienge of a man shulde in tyme cuÌ„myng appease god to all mankynde The Grekes haue called them in some place Catharmata and in some place Peripsemata Esaie therfore and Paule do vnderstaÌ„de that Christ was made an oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice suche as latine men do call Piaculum that by hys merites and nat by ours god shulde be reconciled Let this therfore remayne and abyde in the cause that onely the deathe of Christe is the very true ê“pitiatorie sacrifice For those leuiticall propitiatorie sacrifices were called so onely to signifie the verie propitiatorie sacrifice that was to come And therfore by a certayne similitude and lykenes they were satisfactions redemynge the iustice of the lawe leste they which had offeÌ„ded shulde be excluded from that comen weale But these sayde sacrifices ought to cease after that the gospel was ones reueled and brought to lyght And because they ought to cease at the tyme of the reuelation of the gospell they were nat verie propitiations sythe the gospell was therfore promysed to gyue and shewe propitiation Nowe remayne only Eucharistical sacrifices whiche be called sacrifices of prayse preachyng of the gospel faythe inuocatioÌ„ thaÌ„kê gyuing confession the afflictions of holy meÌ„ yea al good workes of sayntes These sacrifices be nat satisfactions for the doers of them or satisfactions that may be applied for other folke whiche may meritie vnto them remissioÌ„ of synnes or reconciliation by the vertue of the worke wrought For they be done of them that be alredy reconciled And suche maner sacrifices be the sacrifices of the newe testamente as Peter teacheth in his fyrste epistle sayeng To an holye presthod that ye shulde offre spirituall hoostes and sacrifices Howe spirituall sacrifices be set agaynst as coÌ„trary not onely to the sacrificing of beastes but also to the workes of men whiche be offred because of the worke wroughte For this worde spirituall betokenethe motions of the holye ghoste in vs. Paule teacheth the same whan he saythe Offre your bodyes as a quicke sacrifice holye and a reasonable seruice But by reasonable seruice or honour is betokened that seruice in whiche god is vnderstanded and perceyued in the mynde as is done in the motions of feare and of truste towardes god Therfore it is not onely set agaynst the leuiticall honour or seruice in whiche beastê were slayne but also that honour or seruice in whiche is fayned a worke to be offered by the vertue of the worke wrought The same thynge dothe the epistle to the Hebrues teache whiche saythe By hym let vs offre sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto god and he addethe the interpÌ„tation that is to witte the frute of lyppes coÌ„fessyng his name He byddeth vs offre prayses that is to say inuocation thaÌ„kes gyuyng confession or knowlegyng of his name and other semblable thynges These thyngê be of strengthe not by the vertue of the worke wroughte but by the meanes of faythe And this teacheth this ê‘ticle by him let vs offre that is to say by faythe in Christe Breuely the seruice and worshyppyng coÌ„maunded by the newe testament is spiritual that is to say is iustice of faythe in the herte and the frutes of faythe Therfore it dothe abrogate the leuiticall sacrifices And Christe saythe The true worshyppers shall worshyppe the father in spirite and truthe For suche worshyppers wolde the father haue to worshyp hym God is a spirite they that â—orshyp hym muste worshyp hym in spirite and truthe This texte clerely condempneth the opinions of all suche sacrifices whiche they fayne to be of strengthe by the reason of the worke wrought And it teacheth also that we muste worshyp in spirite yâ— is to say with motions of the herte and faythe Therfore the prophetê also in the olde testament coÌ„dempne the opinion of the people whiche they had of the worke wrought and do teache ryghtuousnes sacrifices of the spirite For thus sayth the prophete Hieremie I haue not spoken with your fathers nor I haue not gyuen them coÌ„maundement in that daye whan I broughte them out of Aegipte of any sacrifices But this worde I coÌ„mauÌ„ded them sayeng Heare and obey my wordes and I wyll be your god c. After what fashyon shulde we thynke that the Iewes dyd herken receyue this sermon whiche semeth to be clene repugnant and contrarye to the lawe of Moyses For this was vndoubtedly knowen that god had gyuen coÌ„maundement to the fathers of diuerse maner sacrifices But Hieremie condempneth the opinion whiche they had of sacrifices This opinion god dyd neuer teathe them yâ— is to witte that those sacrifices shuld pacifie hym by the worke wrought He addeth also faythe that god had coÌ„maunded it whan he sayth Herken me that is to say beleue me that I am your god that I wyl so be knowen whan I do shewe mercy and whaÌ„ I do helpe and yâ— I haue no nede of your sacrifices truste surely that I wyll be god a iustifier a sauiour not for your workes sake but for my worde and my promyse sake desyre loke for helpe of me truelye and from your hartes The psalme also dothe condempne the opinion of the worke wroughte whiche refusynge the sacrifice of beastes requireth inuocation â–ª and the sacrifice of prayse For thus it sayth Shall I eate the flesshe of bulles of gotes c. Call vpon me in the tyme of tribulation and I wyll delyuer the and thou shalte worshyp and honoure me c. Here he witnesseth that this is the very latria the very true honour if we do hertely call vpon hym Also in the .xxxix. psalme it is wryten Sacrifice oblation thou woldest none of but thou haste made
I haue many thynges to say to you but ye can nat yet beare them but when that spirite of veritie shall come he shall teache you all truthe They alledge also the example of the apostles whiche made a prohibition that the people shulde absteyne froÌ„ bloude and suffocate They alledge the Sabbat daye chaunged into Sunday contrary to the boke of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes called the Decalogie as it semeth Neyther is there any example more craked vpon and bosted then is the chaunging of â—he Sabbat daye Greate saye they is the power and auctoritie of the churche sythe it dispensed with one of the .x. commaundementes But as touchyng this question our men teache after this sorte that byshops haue no power to deâ—re and ordeyne any thynge agaynste the gospell as it is shewed before The canone lawes teache the same thynge .9 distinc But it is agaynst scripture to make traditioÌ„s or to exacte or require them to be obserued for th eÌ„tent that by that obseruation we may get pardon of synnes and maye satisfie and make amendes for synnes For thus the glorie of the merite of Christe is hurte and mynyshed whan we go aboute to deserue remission of synnes and iustification with suche obseruations Nowe it is openly knowen that traditions haue growen almoste to an infinite nombre in the churche by the meanes of that ê‘suasion and the doctrine of fayth ryghtuousnes of fayth in the meane whyle hath ben oppressed For styll more holy dayes and more were made and fastâ—â—ngdayes were coÌ„maunded newe ceremonies newe honourynges of sayntes were institute For the deuisers and auctors of suche thinges thought to gette remission of synnes â— iustification with these workes So grewe vppe the penitential canones in tymes passed of whiche yet we see certeyne tokens and steppes in satisfactions Also many wryters there be which fayne that in the newe testament there must be an honourynge of god lyke as that whiche we reade in Leuiticus the orderynge wherof god coÌ„mitted to the apostles and byshoppes And these writers seeme to be deceyued with thexample of Moyses lawe as though the ryghtuousnes of the newe testamente were an outwarde obseruation of certeyne rites ceremonies lyke as the iustice of the olde lawe was an outwarde obseruation of certeyne rytes Wherfore lyke as in the olde lawe it was synne to eate swynes flesshe c. So in the newe testament they putte synne in meates in dayes in vesture and semblable thyngê And they thynke that the ryghtuousnes of the newe testameÌ„t can not be with out these thinges Of this occasion came those burdens that certein meates do defile and pollute the conscience and that it is deadely synne to omitte and leaue vnsayde canonical houres that fastynges deserue remission of synnes and that they be necessarye to the ryghtuousnes of the newe testament that synne in a case reserued can not be forgyuen without thauctorite of the reseruer where as in very dede the canones them selues speake onelye of the reseruation of the canonical payne and not of the reseruation of synne From whens I pray you of whom haue the byshops theyr power and auctorite to laye these traditions vpon the churche to vexe or greue theyr coÌ„sciences For euery man may se open auctorities and clere testimonies whiche prohibite the makynge of suche traditions eyther to deserue remission of synnes or as necessarye to the ryghtuousnes of the newe testament or to saluacion Fyrst Paule to the Collossenses sayth Let no maÌ„ iudge you in meate drynke parte of the holy daye c. Also if ye be deade with Christe from the elementes of the worlde why as lyuyng in the worlde do ye kepe decrees touche not taste not c. whiche be coÌ„maundementes and doctrines of men and haue a presence and a colour of wysedome Also to Lite he prohibiteth traditions apertlye warâ—ynge that they be not attendynge to the Iuâ—aicall â—aâ—es and to coÌ„maundementes of men whiche turne from the truthe And Christ spekynge of them that require traditions sayth in this wyse Let them alone they are blynde guydes of the blynde and he improueth suche honours layinge All plantes whiche the father of heuen dyd not plante shal be plucked vp by the rootes It byshops haue auctoritie to one-rate and lade churches with infinite traditions and to snare the coÌ„sciences why doth scripture so often prohibete to make and to heare traditions why dothe it call them doctrines of deuyls Dyd the holy goost warne those thynges before in vayne wherfore it muste nedes consequently ensue that syth ordenaunces instituted as thynges necessary or with an opinion to deserue remission of synne be contrary to the gospell that it is not lauful for any byshop to institute or require suche honours For it is necessarye that the doctrine of christen libertie be kepte styll in the churches whiche is that the bondage of the lawe is not necessary to iustification as it is wryten in the epistle to the Galathians Be nat subiecâ—e agayne to the yoke of bondage The chiefe place of the gospell muste nedes be kepte styll whiche is that we obteyne remission of synnes and iustification freely by faythe in Christe and not for certeyne obseruations or honours deuysed by men What shall we thynke than of the Sonday and lyke rytes of the temples To this our lerned men saye that it is laufull to byshops or to pastors to make ordenaunces that thynges be ordrelye done in the Churche not that we shulde purchase by them remission of synnes or that we can satisfie for synnes or that consciences be bounde to iudge them necessary honours or to thinke that they synne whaÌ„ without offence of other they breake them So Paule doth ordeyne that in the congregation women shulde couer theyr heeddes and that interpreters and teachers be herde after an ordre in the churche It is conuenient that the churched shulde kepe suche ordenaunces for charitie and tranquilite so farre forthe that one offendeth not another that all thynges be done in the churches in ordre and without busynes and troubleâ— but yet so that the conscience be not charged as to thinke that they be necessary to saluation or to iudge that they synne whan they breake them without hurtynge of other As no man wyll saye that a woman doth synne whiche gothe forthe abrode bare heded offending no body therwith â–ª Euen suche is the obseruation and kepynge of the Sonday of Easter of Penthecoste lyke holydayes and rytes For they that iudge that by the auctorite of the churche the obseruynge of the Sonday in stede of the Sabbat day was ordeyned as a thyng necessary do greatly erre The scripture ê‘mitteth and grauÌ„teth that the kepynge of the Sabbat day is nowe free for it teacheth that the ceremonies of Moyses lawe after the reuelation and shewyng abrode of the gospell are not necessarye And yet because it was nedefull to ordeyne a certeyn day that the people myghte knowe whan
was I am sure of the â—ame mynde that the prophete was of which sayed Lorde enter nat into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt for no lyuing creature shal be iustifyed in thy syght saynt Barnarde confesseth that hys owne workes be nat worthy eternall lyfe whan he sayeth I haue lyued wretchedly But he comforteth hym selfe and gathereth hope of saluation hereof because he perceyueth that for Christes sake through mercy is gyuen remission of synnes and eternall â–ª lyfe as the Psalme teacheth whiche sayeth Blessyd be they whose iniquities be forgiuen And Paule sayeth Dauid callith the man blessed to whom god imputeth ryghtuousnes without workes Paule sayeth that he is blessed to whoÌ„ ryghtuousnes is imputed by fayth in christe although he haue no good workes With suche coÌ„solations be consciences to be comforted and strengthed that is to say that for Christes sake by fathe is goten remission of synnes reputation of iustice eternal lyfe Nowe if in these places of workes fayth after this maner shal be vnderstande they hurte no thyng our sentence or opinion And verely it is necessary alwayes to put to faythe that we do nat exclude the Mediatour Christe And good workes ought to folowe faythe because faythe without good workes is hypochrisye They haue also in the scholes certayne propre and shorte sayengê agreing to our senteÌ„ce of whiche sorte be these that good workes do please god because of grace and fauour Also that we must truste to the grace of god These sayenges they do nat well interprete For the olde wryters dyd meane that we muste truste to grace that is to wete to the mercy of god promysyng that for Christes sake we be accepted But the wryters of later tyme haue traÌ„slated this trust to our owne worke Theyr opinion is that we muste truste to grace that is to wete to the loue where with we loue god This is a false and a corrupte interpretatioÌ„ For we ought nat to truste to our owne loue forasmuch as it is vncleane smal but to the promise of mercy Thys is also a coÌ„men sayeng a monge them that good workes be of strengthe by the vertue of Christes passion it is wel sayd but there ought to haue ben made mention of faythe in these sentencies For the merite of Christes passion is nat coÌ„municate â—o vs onles we do receiue it by faythe and do set it agaynste the terrours of syn and death For Paule sayeth Christe is a propitiatioÌ„ by faythe Also the churche in all prayers or collecâ—es addeth at the ende Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum that is to say By our lorde Iesus Christ. Here also men are to be monyshed and to be put in remembraunce of fayth For the church meaneth that our workes and our prayers do plese god if we do beleue that god is gracious for Christes sake the hyghe bysshop Let these thynges suffise at thys tyme coÌ„cernyng this place And we do knowe that this sentence and opinion whiche we defend is consonauÌ„te and agreing to the gospell and dothe bringe moste stronge and sure consolations to godly consciences Therfore let nat godly consciences suffer them selues to be led away from this sentence opinion for cause of the vniuste false and sclaunderous iudgementes of our aduersaries For the scripture â—ophecieth that the tyme shulde come whan 〈◊〉 teachers shulde play mastries in the churâ—â—e â–ª whiche oppressing the iustice of faythe in Christe shulde teache to merite remission of synnes by our owne obseruauÌ„ces and workes And the thynges done in Israel be an ymage and figure of the state that shulde afterwardes folowe in the churche Nowe we do se that the prophetes do euerywhere rebuke this persuasion of the people whiche dyd dreame that they dyd merite forgyuenes of synnes by the sacrifices of the lawe and by the reason of thê opinion dyd heape workes vpon workes and sacrifices vpon sacrifices So in the churche there be many persones whiche haue a false persuasion of theyr owne workes and ceremonies But the scripture hathe taught vs that we shulde nat be troubled with the multytude of wickeâ— and vngodly persones and yet it is no mastrie to iudge the spirite of our aduersaries For we do se that in many of theyr articles the manifest and open truthe is condempned by them And let nat this trouble or offeÌ„d any man that they do chalenge and take vpoÌ„ them selues the name of the churche For the churche of Christe is amonge them whiche do teache the gospel truly nat among theÌ„ whiche do defende wronge opinions agaynst the gospell as the lorde sayeth My shepe do heare my voyce ⧠Of the Churche ⧠THe seuenth article of our confession they dampne in whiche we sayde that the churche is a coÌ„gregation of sayntes or holy meÌ„ And they make a longe proces that euyll persons are naâ— to be segregate or deuided froâ— the churche sythe that Iohan Baptist coâ—â—pared the churche to the floure of the Barnâ— in whiche bothe corne and chaffe be layde together on an heape And Christe compared it to a nette in whiche be caught bothe good fysshes and badde Without doubte it is a trewe sayde prouerbe Agaynst the byting of a sycophaunt or sclauÌ„derer there is no remedy Nothyng can be spokeÌ„ so circumspectly but that a captious sclaunderer shal fynde occasion to depraue it We euen for thys very cause dyd adde the eyght article leaste any man shulde thynke that we seuered the euyll persons and hypocrites from the outwarde societie of the churche or plucked away the vertue from the sacramentes whiche be ministred by hypocrites and euyll men Wherfore here nedeth no longe defense agaynste thys sclaunder The eyght article dothe sufficently purge vs. For we graunt that hypocrites and euyll men be in this lyfe mixed in the churche and be membres of the churche as touchyng the outward societie of the signes of the churche that is to wete of the worde profession and sacrameÌ„tes namely if they be nat excoÌ„municate Nor the sacramentes be nat therfore without vertue because euell men minister them or euyll men receyue them For Paule ê“phecieth that the tyme shulde come when Antichrist shuld sytte in the teÌ„ple of god that is to say shulde haue dominion and beare officies in the churche But the churche is nat only a societie of externe thynges and rites as other polecies or ciuile societies be but principally it is a societie of fayth and of the holy ghoste in mens hartes whiche yet natwithstaÌ„dyng hathe outward notes tokyns wherby it may be knoweÌ„ as the syncere and pure teachyng of the gospell and the ministration of the sacramentes agreable to the Euangel of Christe And this churche only is called the bodye of Christe whiche Christ with his spirite reneweth sanctifyeth and gouerneth as testifyeth Paule sayeng And hym he made head aboue al of the churche whiche is his body that is to say an entiertie or the hole congregation of hym whiche worketh all together in all